Ordinary Watercourse Consent

Works on an ordinary watercourse that require consent are those: 

• Likely to cause an obstruction to flow or restrict storage
• That involve the construction of a culvert
• That will cause changes to structures (dams, weirs, culverts or other like structures) already in place. These will also need consent from the council regardless of other consents or planning permission you may already have obtained
• That construct temporary works or structures that interfere with or change the flow of water in a watercourse

Consent must be applied for and granted before any works are undertaken. We will not be able to grant consent retrospectively for works that are already underway or have been completed. Failure to obtain consent can result in serious implications, see the 'what happens if I don’t obtain consent?' section below for more information.

To apply for an Ordinary Watercourse consent you must complete the Ordinary Water Consent application form and return it with the relevant supporting documents and appropriate fee to the Flood Risk Management department.

Please send all Ordinary Watercourse applications to flooding@southampton.gov.uk. Alternatively, if you send an application via post please could you inform the Flood Risk Management team by emailing flooding@southampton.gov.uk.

Contact details and guidance for completing the application form can be found in our ordinary water consent guidance document.

An ordinary water consent costs £50 per structure or temporary works event. Multiple consents can be made for the same location in a single application, for example, if the proposed scheme is for two separate bridges or culverts in the same location the application can be applied for on one form and will cost £100.

To arrange payment for your application please contact flooding@southampton.gov.uk.

Once an ordinary watercourse consent application has been received, including relevant supporting documents and the correct fee, the application will be checked and validated. 

Following validation: 

• The council has two months to determine the application from the date of validation
• Within two months, the applicant will receive written confirmation on whether the consent has been granted or not
• If an application is not considered within the two month period, the applicant is automatically granted permission

Sufficient information and rationale must be provided in order for an ordinary watercourse consent to be assessed. The council can refuse to consent for a number of reasons, these include but are not limited to: 

• The works cause an increased risk of flooding on the site or elsewhere
• The works cause adverse impacts on ecology and biodiversity or water quality 
• The works cause other damaging effects that increase the risk to an area
• Insufficient information submitted to allow an assessment to be made

Failure to obtain the required consent prior to carrying out works may be a criminal offence. Any person acting in contravention of Section 23 of the Land Drainage Act 1991, on conviction may be liable to a fine of up to £5,000 and a further fine of up to £40 for every day on which the contravention is continued after conviction. As the Lead Local Flood Authority, Southampton City Council has the power to take enforcement against any insufficient or unconsented works.